In the six months since Gareth Bale tied his future to Real Madrid with a mammoth five-year contract extension, the Welshman has made nine million euros (£7.6million) from the European champions for completing just five games.

Bale's four-year spell since arriving in the Spanish capital for a world record fee has been full of contrasting moments and emotions.

One the one hand, he could yet end the season with a glorious homecoming in Cardiff with his third Champions League winners' medal.

And the fact Madrid rewarded him with a bumper pay rise worth £600,000-a-week before tax was seen as a reward for what then seemed like his growing influence on the team following a brilliant end to last season.

Yet, there remains a feeling of unfulfillment for most Madridistas when an appraisal of Bale's time at the Bernabeu is sought.

He is set to miss both Madrid's Champions League semi-finals against Atletico Madrid and has a race against time to see any more La Liga action this season as he faces another month on the sidelines.

Patience is beginning to wear thin in Madrid over Bale's perceived favourable treatment ahead of local favourites Marco Asensio and Isco.

For the first time in his reign as manager, Zinedine Zidane was severely criticised for his decision to start Bale as Madrid blew the chance to kill off the title race at the Bernabeu against Barca.

Bale goes off injured during El Clasico (Image: REUTERS)

Tuesday's edition of Madrid sports daily AS said Zidane was "compromised" by Bale's status as a Galactico in the Madrid hierarchy.

Meanwhile, the likes of Asensio, Isco, James Rodriguez and Lucas Vazquez were described as "victims" for their lack of minutes in the big games.

There was even a dig that the original man "made of glass" Arjen Robben has played more minutes than Bale this season despite being six years older.

At the heart of the Bale debate is that he very much remains one of club president Florentino Perez's pet projects.

AS' rival Marca, a much more sympathetic allay of Perez, claimed Bale had rushed back for the Clasico due to a debt he feels with the club due to his lack of impact this season.

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The words of Carlo Ancelotti in a recently released book in which the Italian claimed his relationship with Perez broke down after substituting Bale in a game at Valencia in 2015 have also widely circulated in recent days.

Moreover, the stats suggest that Madrid don't even miss Bale much, if at all.

Real's win percentage in La Liga this season jumps from 63 percent with Bale to 85 percent without him.

After Bale hobbled off in the first leg of Madrid's Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich a fortnight ago even a Marca editorial surmised: "There has been no Real Madrid fan seen crying over Bale's injury.

"Bale's absence is a solution for Real Madrid, not a problem."

Bale is one of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's pet projects

The issue is not just as an individual, but a structural one.

Madrid tend to fare better when one of the "BBC" front three of Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema is missing as an extra midfield player offers more control and defensive balance.

They have now lost five of the six Clasicos in which Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema have started together.

Perez, though, loves Benzema and Bale, whilst Ronaldo is untouchable.

"Here you are valued and there is no politics and strange things behind the scenes," said former Madrid boss Rafael Benitez in a dig at his old club after sealing promotion back to the Premier League with Newcastle.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane (Image: Getty Images)

Bale's absence liberates Zidane in the short-term from having to take the difficult decision to drop one of his front three.

However, should Real see off Atletico for the fourth straight season in the Champions League, it will take wild horses to prevent Bale passing himself fit for a Cardiff final.

Repeating his Clasico mistake by rushing Bale back would leave Zidane hung out to dry.

But given how things work at Real Madrid, presidential orders may prevail.